We are launching the tenth edition of the International Free Software Forum (FISL), the biggest gathering of Free Software communities in Latin America, one of the biggest in the world, and the largest and most important technology event in our country.
In 1999, when we idealized FISL and immersed into the construction of what is today the “Brazilian Free Software Project”, we were being visionaries, as we didn’t know the exact dimension that Free Software would reach in the whole world. But the visionaries had a firm conviction that the fight for freedom and technological autonomy of our country would necessarily pass by Free Software and the ideals built, initially by Richard Stallman, and, later, by the hackers and developers of the GNU/Linux operational system.
We were able to build a collective event with the participation of the various Free Software communities from our country, the heart of FISL and, later, aggregated other social subjects into this scenario: public administrators, entrepreneurs, academics, Information and Communication Technology professionals and defenders of the freedom of knowledge in all areas. FISL has always been, in all its editions, a major physical meeting point for those who daily meet on the web to work and share knowledge and ideas.
We are also certain that FISL has helped consolidate a positive image of Brazil in the international scene and is today the most well-known and respected Brazilian technology event outside our country.
Surely many of us have in our minds thrilling and unforgettable moments which we carry for all our lives. Many of today’s professionals, activists, entrepreneurs and public administrators had FISL as an inspiration and a great time of opportunities.
We launch the beginning of our tenth anniversary in a global scenario of economical crisis and strong attacks to the liberties of the Internet all around the world. For these reasons, FISL becomes even more important. Never has Free Software and the new forms of social relations, initiated by our community in a global scale, have been so important for overcoming the crisis of an old model. Never has the fight for democracy and freedom have been so important for guaranteeing a sustainable development and a better future for our country. All these elements have been and will be present on our tenth anniversary.
We cheer on our Brazilian Free Software community, the heart of FISL, to present lecture proposals, workshops and courses, and to help in the construction and mobilization of yet another extraordinary moment for our country and for our personal lifes.
We call upon our strategic partners of the public and private sectors to join this great network that surrounds FISL, helping make this dream come true. Do not miss the opportunity to expose your brand and your projects to the biggest and most important community of the Internet, establishing contacts, discovering news paths and creating new business possibilities.
At FISL you will find the greatest technological innovators of the Brazilian Internet, will be in contact with new forms of relations brought by the social networks of the Internet, and with the new and successful business models of the network society.
FISL is a great opportunity for all of us.
We officially open the process of construction of FISL 10.
Porto Alegre, March 10th, 2009.
He also said, making an analogy between software and food, that Brazil had the choice of “cooking its own food, and choose the spices, or eat Microsoft’s food”, and added, “we decided for freedom”.